


These Winter Nights

by orphan_account



Category: Veronica Mars (TV)
Genre: F/M, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-11
Updated: 2011-01-11
Packaged: 2017-10-14 17:50:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/151874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Somewhere north of here, Veronica's looking at the ocean.</p>
            </blockquote>





	These Winter Nights

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ciaimpala](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=ciaimpala).



When she can’t sleep, Veronica likes to sneak out to sit on the rocky shore and look at the ocean. It’s strange how different the seaside is here from the beaches she grew up with in Neptune. It’s more than just Atlantic versus Pacific: it’s the contrast of sand with stone, an icy wind with a warm breeze. Between here and home, highways stretch, coast to coast, all the miles that she has run.

Lights move across the dark, and Veronica knows that in the distance a ship is passing. She waves a little, because it feels right. She hears a foghorn, its voice deep and eerie. There are ghosts wandering these winter nights and Veronica wouldn’t be surprised to see Lilly dancing past. For the first time, she feels the cold creep up her spine. She pulls her hat down over her brow and starts back toward the house.

There’s a light on in the upstairs window. Duncan must have woken to find her gone. She smiles. He won’t be worried; he knows her and her penchant for midnight walks too well. The door is locked, because there is no safety, even here. Veronica’s mittened hands fumble with the key.

Inside, the living room is dark. She takes off her outer layers blindly and traces a familiar path to the stairs. At the top, she pauses in front of Lilly’s door. It creaks slightly as she opens it, but the little girl doesn’t stir. Veronica creeps toward the bed, straining her eyes to see in the nightlight glow if Lilly is breathing. She is, of course. Veronica kisses her on the forehead and Lilly murmurs in her sleep.

“It’s okay, baby. Mommy’s here.” She leaves Lilly to her dreams and continues down the hall to the bedroom she shares with Duncan. He’s sitting up in bed, propped against the pillows, reading. He was never much of a reader in high school, but people change.

“I missed you,” he says, and pulls the quilt back to make room for her beside him.

“I’m here now,” Veronica says, and Duncan kisses her. Their love has changed, too, but it has only grown and matured. “I love you.”

“Love you, too.” Duncan pulls her close. On these winter nights, no matter how long she sits in the cold, he always knows the way to make her warm.


End file.
